Saturday, April 16, 2016

Carolina-Villanova: Adam Schein on the Officiating

Adam Schein on the officiating in the final.
I don't really want to talk about it because there's basically no way to do so without seeming like I'm whining. Also, I'm not objective, of course. I've tried to just move on and not think about it.
But, yes, the officiating was awful. People have to add the boilerplate: it didn't determine the outcome... But...well...it's just what you have to say. I'm not saying it did or it didn't...though even if you ignore every other bad call that night, it's a bit hard to ignore the play with 35 seconds left in which a Villanova player elbowed Hicks in the gut and traveled three times in three different ways with no call on any of them...then Hicks blocks his shot cleanly and gets called for the foul. An absolutely terrible series of calls that gave 'Nova the lead with very little time left. I think you have to admit at least that it might have affected the outcome...especially of a game determined in the last half-second. And if that were the only bad call to go against us, that'd be one thing...but...well...I'm just going to shut up now... Basketball is a difficult game to officiate.